


thistle and lace

by wasatch_97



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Garden of Eden references, Guardian Angels, M/M, Memory Loss, Protective Lee Minho | Lee Know, Red String of Fate, Soft Han Jisung | Han, Strangers to Lovers, jisung is in with nature, seo changbin the ultimate matchmaker, the Devil - Freeform, the og tree hugger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasatch_97/pseuds/wasatch_97
Summary: “Two demons came out of a ravine they created and found me,” Jisung says, rubbing at his tears with closed fists. “And then Satan followed them. He wants me to come to Hell with him, I have two days left here before I have to go. I, I have no idea why he would want me! I’m just...me.”“That bastard,” the angel mutters under his breath. “He probably said he’s beenlooking for someone exactly like you,right?”Jisung nods, confused. “How...do you know that?”
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Kudos: 91





	thistle and lace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [softvoice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/softvoice/gifts).



> hi :D 
> 
> im back with a kind of fun fic,, it’s based on a song prompt where i had to use all the lyrics of a song in it plus i made it harder for myself by using the lyrics in order!!! the song i chose was [Someone Like You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnVnIKTWhNs) by Van Morrison :3 lyrics are in italics throughout the story so you can find them!
> 
> anyhow, i wanted to do something with angels so a while back salem chose which one of minsung would be ‘the sexy angel with memory loss’ when i asked in a frantic dm at one in the morning :>
> 
> anyways this is for [softvoice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/softvoice) as i said i would gift it to salem when i first came across the prompt hehe :D i hope you like it ~
> 
> **cw:** garden of eden references, blood, a little gore at the end

“Pretty.” 

Jisung giggles, crouched down as he touches the petal of the newly-revealed daisy that is peeking up at the sky. It amazes him how something so fragile can withstand wind and rain and sun. 

Standing, Jisung brushes off his pants and walks along the stone path, humming a tune to himself. The gardens are beautiful right now; all the leaves and petals edged with the gold of the rising sun. 

Jisung is in no rush as he walks along, trailing his hand against the leaves of the bushes he passes. As he takes the trail bordering the pond he rubs his arms, the chill of the early morning still lingering in the air, not yet burnt away by the sun. He pauses, gazing at the slight ripples of the darkened water, and then cracks a smile when he spots a ball of white fur curled up on the bank. 

_“I've been searching a long time_ for you,” Jisung chirps when he’s bending to pick the cat up. “How long have you been out here?” 

The cat squirms in Jisung’s arms until the boy’s hold loosens slightly and it can leap free of his clutches. “Hey,” Jisung chides, but there’s no malice in his tone. 

He stretches his arms above his head, eyes fluttering shut, and is smiling as he imagines the day ahead of him; exploring the gardens, visiting the animals in the various parts of the garden to make sure they’re all well.

He’s about to go off to start his rounds when a deep sound cuts through the air. Jisung looks up, frantic, in time to see the ground where the path was rend, as if something is trying to claw its way from the depths of the earth. 

He takes a step back in fear as the ground ripples, and the cat darts away further, hissing at the billowing clouds of dirt. Jisung shields his eyes, feeling flecks of dirt hit his body. 

And then the noise ceases and Jisung lowers his hands, gasping in shock upon seeing the deep ravine that sinks down where the path once was. Several trees have been uprooted and foliage is spread about, torn from the earth, and seeing the damage Jisung’s heart sinks. 

But it picks up in speed when he realizes that there are two silhouettes walking towards him through the settling fog of dirt. 

When they appear, Jisung gasps. 

They’re both men, but at the same time not. The man on the right is dressed in a long red coat with a black shirt and pants underneath. His hair is thick and chocolate brown, and he walks as though he’s royalty—head high and a smirk curving his lips. Yet what catches Jisung’s attention are the black horns curving up from his hair. 

The man on the left is dressed in a long sleeved royal blue top with black pants and his hair is blond, much like Jisung’s. What is starling about him is the glow of his piercing red eyes. 

“Who...what?” Jisung takes a step back as they keep approaching. “Who are you?”

“Look, Lixie, it’s our little prize,” the man with the horns coos, eyes flicking over Jisung from head to toe. 

“Perfectly intact,” ‘Lixie’ adds, and his eyes flash a deep red. “I believe he will be very happy with us, Jinnie.”

“Stay back,” Jisung says, but it comes out as more of a whisper. The newcomers laugh and keep advancing, and Jisung backs away further until one of his feet has sunk into the water of the pond. “What do you want?”

“You,” ‘Jinnie’ giggles, and grabs Jisung by the front of his shirt, pulling him back onto land and into the slim space between them. 

Jisung tenses up, eyes widening as he takes in the little details he had missed—like the clawed fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt and the blond’s forked tongue that flickers over his lips. “What are you?”

‘Jinnie’ laughs. “Take a guess, doll.”

Demons, is the only thing Jisung’s brain supplies. 

“Demons.”

“Very good,” the blond purrs, “my name is Felix and he is Hyunjin, and we’ve been sent here to...extract you.”

“What do you mean?” Jisung tries to wiggle free of them, his heart racing, but both demons grab him by an arm. “Let go!”

“No,” Hyunjin giggles, claws digging into Jisung’s skin the slightest bit, making him whimper. “We don’t plan on losing you.”

“You’re coming with us,” Felix continues, brushing a finger down Jisung’s cheek, his tan skin paling under the touch. “Back home.”

Hell?

“Why do you want me?” Jisung squeaks, struggling a bit more only to cry out when Hyunjin’s claws sink into the flesh of his arm. 

“Our oldest friend wants a word with you,” Felix says, though it helps little to clear Jisung’s fear and confusion. 

“I don’t want to!” Jisung’s face contorts in pain when Hyunjin’s claws fix in the meat of his arm and drag, easily splitting his skin and making blood surface, spilling over his smooth skin. 

Suddenly the ground shakes and the demons turn towards the ravine, shock in their expressions. Jisung looks with them and nearly gasps again—there’s someone else standing where the demons had, now. He has dark hair and is wearing all black, from the leather bracelets around his wrists to his coat that is just shorter than Hyunjin’s. His white irises gleam even at the distance, and he’s staring directly at Jisung. 

“What are you doing here?” Hyunjin gasps. 

“What are you doing with your claws deep in the one thing I told you not to harm?” The man—demon?—snarls as he comes closer. Hyunjin withdraws from Jisung’s arm and steps away, bowing his head. 

“We were just about to bring him to you,” Felix explains, looking slightly nervous. 

The newcomer hums, coming to a stop just feet from them. As Jisung stares at him his vision flashes and for the briefest second he swears he can see in place of the new demon a creature with grey, scaled flesh and the same sharp white eyes, forked tongue flicking out of its mouth like a snake. Black wings are spread wide from where they protrude from its back, and they’re anything but bird wings; they’re skeletal with sinewy skin stretched between the bones. 

The image is gone in an instant and Jisung gulps for air, fear thick in his airways. “Who are you?”

The demon doesn’t respond and instead tilts his head, making Felix let go of Jisung. The two demons stay close, watching Jisung so that he doesn’t run.

“I’ve been looking for you, _someone exactly like you,”_ the new demon says, addressing him finally, studying Jisung as if he’s just won a prize. “You were hidden away here so well.” 

“What do you mean?” he asks, backing away just a step. The white cat weaves through and around his legs, and hisses at the new demon when he takes a step forward. 

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head over.” The demon smiles and Jisung admits it’s a nice smile—dimples offset the ice of his eyes. “ _I've been traveling all around the world_ in an attempt to find you, I am glad the search is finally over.”

“Tell me your name,” Jisung whispers, not daring to take another step back with the way all three demons are eyeing him. 

“My name is Chan,” he says, eyes burning with something more serious than just mischief. “I am also known as Satan, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness, Lord of Hell, Serpent of Old, and most commonly, the Devil.”

Jisung’s muscles clench up in fear, and his eyes are wide with alarm. “Why do you want me?”

“You’re special,” Chan says, “and I’ve been _waiting for you to come through_ for so long now. Someone like you makes it all worth while, everything I have worked for. _Someone like you keeps me satisfied,_ I’m sure of it.” He grins, tilting his head. “Yes, _someone exactly like you.”_

“I...I’m nothing special. I’ve lived here since my father passed away, that’s all!” Jisung is getting frantic, he doesn’t like where this all is going. 

Chan glances to where the manor rises above the thick foliage on the other side of the pond. He grimaces, looking displeased. 

_“I've been traveling a hard road_ to find this boy,” Hyunjin chimes in, addressing Chan, looking slightly peeved, “let’s just go back home already. It has been exhausting.”

“No!” Jisung shrieks, and all three turn to look at him, eyes narrowed. “Just...two days. Give me two days, please. And then I’ll come, willingly.” There’s no way he can escape Satan, he’ll have to accept this fate...of going to Hell.

“Two days, no more,” Chan agrees, while Hyunjin rolls his eyes and Felix looks put out. 

“Thank you,” Jisung breathes. “I’ll go then and come back to this spot, I will.”

Jisung walks away from the three but when he’s out of sight he breaks into a run, running as fast as he can towards the opposite side of the property. His arm is thrumming with pain, the cuts deep through his flesh and still seeping blood. 

Jisung nearly collapses to his knees when he reaches the plane of rock; slate that has chipped into slabs. It stretches on for more than half a mile and Jisung rarely comes here; he prefers the greens of nature to grey stone. 

Panting, Jisung looks around, finding the place to be barren. Except for…

His eyes widen. 

It looks to be an oversized dove, as the feathers of the large wings are pure white. Jisung knows he shouldn’t go closer, not after the past hour he’s had, but he can’t help it; his feet move, carrying him forward, and it feels like he’s not in control of his body. 

As he nears he realizes that this is far from a bird—it’s a man spread out on the rock, large feathery wings limp on either side of him. He’s dressed in all white, rich brown hair contrasting with the pale tone of his skin and wings. He’s asleep, or more likely unconscious. 

An angel. This man is an angel. Jisung would’ve laughed and denied the possibility but he’s met the devil just minutes before. 

An angel whose eyes have opened, and who is staring up at Jisung with slight confusion, gold irises made dark by the shadow of his eyelashes. 

Jisung stumbles back, shocked, and only further still when the angel stands, eyes heavy with aggression as he advances towards Jisung. 

“Who are you?” Jisung whispers, when the angel’s glare has rendered him still. 

“Who are you?” He challenges back, feline eyes narrowing at Jisung, as if Jisung is a danger.

“Jisung,” he backs up a step, shying away from the angel’s intensity. Not just his eyes, but his wings have opened and are angled slightly towards Jisung, like a silent threat. “I’m no one of importance. I, I’ll just go, that would be best, right?” 

He doesn’t wait for a response and has turned to run, but the angel stops him with a single call. “Wait. Come back and face me, I want to see who you are.” 

“I,” Jisung turns again on his heel, but this time he’s taking steps towards the angel. “I’m no one, and I’m not here to hurt you or anyone.” 

The angel stares at him in silence and Jisung feels like he did when he first met Chan and the demons—but there’s less hunger in the angel’s stare. Now, instead of complete aggression, there’s intrigue flickering in the deep gold of his eyes. 

“You’re not no one if I was sent here, wherever this is. And it’s not a coincidence that you’ve found me.” He looks Jisung up and down, frowning. “Why, though.” 

“I...I don’t know.” Jisung feels the sting of tears in his eyes, the pain in his arm and the fear that has rendered him helpless throughout the whole morning piling on top of each other. “I don’t know why all of this is happening, I’ve never wanted any of this, I don’t want to go to Hell!” 

The angel’s gaze softens slightly, but there’s tension running through him still. “Hell?” 

“Two demons came out of a ravine they created and found me,” Jisung says, rubbing at his tears with closed fists. “And then Satan followed them. He wants me to come to Hell with him, I have two days left here before I have to go. I, I have no idea why he would want me! I’m just...me.” 

“That bastard,” the angel mutters under his breath. “He probably said he’s been _looking for someone exactly like you,_ right?” 

Jisung nods, confused. “How...do you know that?” 

“I’ve known Chan a long time,” the angel scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “And now I know why an angel had to be sent here.” 

“Had to be sent here?” 

“I just don’t know why it was me,” the angel mutters. “ _I've been carrying my heavy load,_ I’ve had my own work to do. Normally Changbin is sent to deal with Chan and his little demons.” 

“They didn’t look very little to me,” Jisung whispers, earning a glare from the angel. “But why was an angel sent here? You didn’t explain.” 

“I’ll have to confirm a few things,” the angel says, “you have two days until you see them next, right?” Jisung nods, his heart plummeting. He doesn’t want to leave. “Don’t worry, Chan has been _waiting for the light to come shining through_ , down to Hell, for a long time now. He can wait longer. He doesn’t need to take you, I’ll make sure he won’t.” 

Jisung feels a surge of hope in his chest. “Really? I don’t have to leave?” 

The angel shakes his head. “No.” His eyes flicker over Jisung, finally landing on his arm, the cream fabric of his shirt soaked with blood. “What happened?” 

“One of the demons clawed me,” Jisung explains, rolling up his sleeve and hissing at the ache coming from the limb. 

The angel steps forward, frowning. “I can heal it, it looks like the demon was quite harsh.” 

“If you can, I would be very grateful.” Jisung watches closely as the angel reaches out his hand towards the wounds on his upper arm. As his fingers brush Jisung’s skin his limbs grow weak and he almost stumbles, a strange comfort made of warmth pulsing through him and seeping into every crevice, every joint of his body. He feels the cuts close with a wave of tingling pricks to his skin; it’s like magic. 

When his eyes open he looks right up at the angel who is already watching him, as if he’s a specimen. But Jisung can see past the hard look in his eyes—there’s a slight glint of worry but also joy. 

“So this is why they sent me.”

Jisung frowns, confused and slightly dizzy. “What do you mean?” He whines quietly when the angel withdraws his hand and blushes in embarrassment, but startles upon seeing the fond smile tugging at the angel’s lips. 

The angel takes Jisung’s hand and Jisung’s breath falters, a sense of euphoria rushing through him. “Look closely. Look past the illusion.” 

Jisung glances at the angel’s face, confused, but he just sends Jisung an encouraging smile. Jisung looks at their clasped hands, studies how the angel’s long, pale fingers rest against his tan skin. And then the same thing happens, like what had happened when he looked at Chan. An image overlays and he sees differently; the angel’s skin is nearly translucent and sparkling like gemstones. His own skin is gilded, like the morning sun has permanently pressed the gold coloring to his skin. But what truly catches his eye is the thin red string, one end tied around the angel’s fifth finger and the other end tied around Jisung’s. 

He knows what it is; it’s the red string of fate. 

Jisung looks up and the vision disappears. The angel is watching him curiously, waiting for his response. “You know what it is, don’t you?” 

“I don’t know why I can see sometimes like that,” Jisung murmurs, “but I know the red string of fate. My father told me stories about his and my mother’s.” 

“Humans can’t see like you just did, like I’m sure you did when you looked at Chan,” the angel tells him. “Humans can’t see the string.” 

“But...I did?” Jisung’s breath catches. “Tell me, why is the devil after me?” 

The angel looks slightly sympathetic, and squeezes Jisung’s hand. “Your father must have been an angel, that is how he saw the string. Chan has come after you because you have the blood of an angel and he’s desired to have a piece of Heaven with him for a long time now.” 

Jisung feels dizzy, “Have I been alone here all this time because my father knew the devil would look for me?” 

The angel nods. “He wanted to hide you.” 

“I...This is so much,” Jisung whispers, feeling himself lose his footing. 

As he falls, he feels arms circle him, catching him, and the last thing he sees before his eyes slip shut is the angel’s worried expression. 

Jisung groans lowly as he stirs awake, his head pounding. Feeling around he realizes he’s resting on his bed, which is rare; usually he sleeps under the stars. His eyes open and sure enough, he’s in his bedroom back at the manor. 

It takes him no more than a handful of seconds to realize the angel is sitting on the foot of his bed, wingless, and petting the white cat. He’s speaking softly to the cat and smiling, and Jisung finds himself wanting to coo. 

“You brought me here?” He asks, finally sitting up with a wince. 

The angel looks up, not at all startled, and reaches over to take Jisung’s hand, warmth immediately seeping into his bones. “Yes. Chan will have realized that I’m here by now and the only place currently safe is here. Creatures of the dark can’t enter unless invited.” 

“Oh.” Jisung scoots forward so he can pet the cat as well, but not letting go of the angel’s hand. “Thank you.” 

“Always.” The angel is looking at him but Jisung stays focused on the cat, embarrassed. “My name is Minho, I never got to introduce myself.” 

“I’m Jisung.” Jisung grins up at Minho. “I think that meeting _someone like you makes it all worth while,_ all this Hell talk.” 

Minho laughs, the sound sending sparks down Jisung’s spin, and properly links their fingers. “ _Someone like you keeps me satisfied,_ I’m sure of it. Because I have _someone exactly like you_ I think I finally have it all.” 

Jisung blushes red and leans into Minho’s side. After so long without someone around it feels amazing to have Minho; who he’s fated to. “Will you...have to go back to Heaven after you’ve saved me?” His mood drops just with the thought. 

_“I've been doing some soul searching,”_ Minho teases, and Jisung swats at his forearm. “My job as a guardian finished; the human died of old age not long ago. I was sent here because they must have known about our fate, and as I’ve helped many humans over my lifetime, I’ve been retired.”

“You mean you can stay?” Jisung’s eyes are wide. “Forever?” 

Minho nods, mirroring his smile. “I’ve wanted to find the person on the other side of my string for the longest time, but I didn’t have to struggle _to find out where you're at._ I wish I could thank him for that.” 

“Him?” 

“Changbin,” Minho sighs, repeating the name from earlier. “He’s ranked above me and is quite crafty when he wants to be. He must’ve known I was going to be retired soon and sent me here as a final mission.” 

“I wish I could say thank you to him,” Jisung mumbles, pressing further against Minho. 

“Me too.” 

“I feel like _I've been up and down the highway_ and _in all kinds of foreign lands_ today,” Jisung sighs when night has fallen and he and Minho are curled on the couch together, in front of the fireplace. They’d spent the whole day talking about everything and absolutely nothing, and Jisung has never smiled and laughed so much in the entirety of his life. “So much has happened.” 

“I’m sorry this has happened.” 

“It’s okay, _someone like you makes it all worth while,_ ” Jisung says, grinning cheekily up at Minho. 

Minho rolls his eyes but Jisung spots the amusement glimmering in the gold. “Cold?” he asks when Jisung shivers lightly, the drafts of the old house winding through the rooms. He nods and Minho pulls away to bring his wings out once more. He had hidden them throughout the majority of the day for convenience, but Jisung aches to touch them, to feel the feathers. 

Minho sinks back down beside him and wraps a wing around Jisung, bringing them closer together. Jisung lightly touches the feathers, admiring their pure color and sighing at the warmth that is slowly building in his and Minho’s cocoon. 

He looks at Minho then, at the angel with the beautiful gold eyes that is staring back at him like Jisung is everything and more to him.

_Someone like you keeps me satisfied._

_Someone exactly like you._

“They’re here,” Jisung whispers when his time limit is up. He’s peeking out of one of the upstairs windows at the walkway up to the manor where two annoyed demons and one very pissed off devil are standing. 

“It will be okay.” Minho’s hand is resting on the small of Jisung’s back, rubbing gently. “I won’t let him take you.” 

“I trust you.” Jisung peers up at Minho, his anxiety making him cling to the angel’s shoulders. “Be careful, please.” 

Minho nods, leaning down to press a kiss to Jisung’s forehead. Heat pulses from where his lips had touched and Jisung shudders, eyes flickering closed. “Let’s go now.” 

The walk down the stairs is too short and as they draw closer and closer to the doorway Jisung wants to pull Minho back. But he doesn’t, and follows him, letting him open up the door. In front of them, at the base of the steps, the three wait. 

“It’ll be okay,” Minho leans down to whisper, and then he’s stepping out of the manor. Jisung forces himself to stand still, safe within the safety barrier of the manor’s walls. 

“Lee Minho,” Chan greets with a laugh, clearly knowing him well. “I was so sure they had sent Changbin.” 

“Are you disappointed?” Minho snaps. 

Chan rolls his eyes. _“I've been all around the world_ looking for someone like him, you know that. And you know that I won’t stop looking until I have what I want, so make this simple and just hand the boy over.” Felix and Hyunjin take a step towards Minho threateningly. 

“ _We’ve been marching to the beat of a different drum_ all the time that we’ve known each other, _but just lately I have realized_ I want this to be over. I know you won’t stop looking for a piece of Heaven. But you aren’t taking Jisung with you, I’ll never let that happen.” 

“Then what do you propose?” Chan asks, raising an eyebrow. “Since we both know I won’t let this go.” 

Minho looks over his shoulder, meeting Jisung’s eyes. “Close the door, look away.” Jisung shakes his head, too afraid to look away from Minho for a second. Minho stares at him hard, giving him a chance to, and sighs heavily when he doesn’t. Turning away, he takes a deep breath and then takes out the knife he’d hidden in the waistband of his pants. 

Immediately the three tense up, but Minho doesn’t go to attack any of them, instead he raises the knife behind him and brings it down on the base of his left wing, right where it meets his back. 

Jisung staggers back at Minho’s cry of pain, tears of disbelief clumping along his lash line. The demons look enthralled and Chan looks highly amused, but all Jisung can feel when Minho’s wing hits the ground, dead weight, is the churn in his stomach and the horror in his heart. 

He can’t watch Minho cut free his second wing. 

“My dear angel, I never would have guessed you’d have it in you,” Chan says when Minho is kneeling, back bloodied and red, his chest heaving. 

“There’s your piece of heaven, Serpent,” Minho says, though his words are weak. “Go, and don’t come back.” 

As Hyunjin and Felix both take a wing and follow behind Chan down the path and away from the manor, Jisung runs from the doorway and drops to his knees in front of Minho. 

“You fool,” he whispers, cupping Minho’s face and bringing his eyes up to meet his. “Why would you do that?” 

Minho’s face is dark with grief and pain, but relief is also heavy in his expression. “I couldn’t let him have you. I kept thinking, _maybe the best is yet to come._ The best is yet to come as long as I have you. And I won’t being going to Heaven anyhow, so it all seemed to work out. _Someone like you makes it all worth while,_ hm?” 

There’s a million things Jisung could have said, should have said. But someone what he croaks out is far from any one of those things. 

“I love you.” 

Minho’s face brightens, and his eyes glisten with the tears he hadn’t let fall in front of the three others. “I love you, too.” He brushes Jisung’s tears away and brings his hand up, kissing his knuckles. “Since that first day I’ve realized that _someone like you keeps me satisfied,_ you keep me completely happy. _Someone exactly like you_ is all I’ll ever need. _Someone exactly like you._ You, you’re everything.” 

“Someone exactly like me?” Jisung whimpers quietly when Minho cups his face, bringing him closer. A blush blooms rosy on his cheeks under his tears. 

Minho’s kiss is warm and soft and he’s beyond gentle with Jisung, giving him all the time he needs to catch his breath. _“Someone exactly like you.”_

When Jisung looks at him, looks past the illusion and through to the Minho that has pearly, glittering skin and light shining above him in a halo, Minho’s wings still arch over his back, ever glowing and iridescent.

**Author's Note:**

> ♡ [twitter](https://twitter.com/wasatch97)  
> ♡ [tumblr](https://wasatch97.tumblr.com/)  
> ♡ [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/wasatch97/)


End file.
